Brake-operating apparatus.



No. 742,834. PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903. L. T. GANPIELD & J. D. MURRAY.

BRAKE OPERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

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WITNESSES W ATTG/inclb m: NORRIS PEYERS 0o, PwcYuuwo, WASHINGTON. o. c.

NTTE STATss Patented November 3, 1903.

PATENT Tries,

BAY, OF SORANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRAKE-OPERATlNG APPARATUS.

QEECIFIGATION forming Application filed March 29, 1902.

T0 LtZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, LOUIS T. OANFIELD and JOHN D. MURRAY, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brake Operating Apparatus, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved brake-lever attachment for railroadcars whereby the pivotal point or fulcrum of the lever may be changed at will, so as to vary the power of the lever when necessary, as when a train is loaded or running light; and with this and other objects in view the invention consists in a device or apparatus of the class specified constructed as hereinafter described and claimed;

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form-a part, in which the separate parts of our improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in both views, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the apparatus which we employ, and Fig. 2 an endelevation thereof.

In the practice of our invention we employ the usual air-cylinder a and a cylinder-lever b, with which is connected the usual operating-rod c, all these parts being of the usual form and construction, with the exception of -'p the lever b and its connection, which constitute the subject-matter of this application, as hereinafter described.

The means which is employed for changing the fulcrum-point of the lever Z) and which constitutes the subject-matter of this application consists, preferably, of two link-bars (Z, pivotally supported at one end, as shown ate, and provided at the opposite end with a pin or bolt f, by which they are connected, said pin being passed through a longitudinal slot b formed in the lever 12 centrally thereof, and the oppositeends of which form two fulcrum-points for said lever. Mounted above the link-bars cl in suitable hangers or supports 9 is a shaft h, provided with an eccentric 7L2, on which is placed an eccentric strap part of Letters Eatent No. 742,834, dated November 3, 1903.

Serial No. 100,525- (No model.)

or band 2', which is connected with the linkbars d at F, and the shaft it passes through a suitable support j, and the end thereof is bent at right angles to form a crank or handle, as shown atj and by means of this construction the eccentric it may be turned whenever desired, and the centric 78,2118 will be readily understood,will operate to change the fulcrum-point of the lever b, the ends of the link-bars d opposite the support e thereof being raised or lowered, as may be desired, by the turning of said eccentric.

The cylinder-lever b at its upper end is provided with a pair of wheels or rollers k, which operate upon suitable tracks or ways 13 and reventsaidleverfromdro nin andsaidc linder-lever is also provided with other wheels or rollers 70", which operate upon and below the tracks or ways k to keep said lever from rising when the fulcrum thereof is at the upper end of the slotb The upper endof thelever h is in operative connection with the pistonrod 0, of the cylinder at in the usual manner, and when the air is applied to the cylinder 0. in the operation of the apparatus the pistonrod a is forced outwardly, and this rod,which is connected with the lever 19, forces the corresponding end of said lever in the same direction and the opposite end of said lever is moved in the opposite direction, and the connecting-rod c is correspondingly operated and the brakes are applied in the usual manner. Whenever it is desired to change the fulcrumoint of the said lever, all that is necessary is to turn the shaft 71, and by this means the force of the pull on the connecting-rodfor the operating force of the brakes may be increased or decreased, as will be readily understood.

It will be understood that this improvement is employed in connection with an ordinary air-brake or air-brake system, and in the form of construction shown and described the cylinder-lever b is arranged in a vertical position; but our improvement is not limited to the exact position and relation of the parts herein shown and described, and various changes therein and modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention or sacrificing its advantages, and though we have described two turning of the ecof the link-bars d it will be apparent that a single bar if properly made may be substituted for said link-bars (1.

Having fully described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an air-brake system, an air-cylinder, a cylinder-lever provided centrally with a longitudinal slot and in operative connection with the piston-rod of the said eccentric supported adjacent to said lever, and provided with a band, a link-bar pivoted to a stationary support and in operative connection with said eccentric-band, a pin or bolt connected with said link-bar and movable in the slot formed in said lever, and means for turning said eccentric, su'bstan tially as shown and described. s

2. In an air-brake system, an air-cylinder, a cylinder-lever provided centrally with a longitudinal slot and in operative connection cylinder, an-

scribed.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we have signed our names, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 25th day of March, A. D. 1902.

LOUIS T. OANFIELD. JOHN D. MURRAY.

Witnesses:

JOHN P. BUTLER, MORGAN SWEENEY. 

